Table 38: What do you think is the most important issue to be addressed for the future of theatrical exhibition of films? How might the issue be resolved?
Description Frequency Percent
Important to maintain and increase access to, and choice of, wide range of specialised film, across the whole of the UK (including ensure that British films get a theatrical release)
56 24.0%
Digital conversion / Survival of rural & community cinemas - Government support is needed to enable independent cinemas to get digital equipment
(especially for smaller community and rural venues)
28 12.0%
Audience development and engagement (Education, outreach, contextual screenings, director talks, overcoming 'fear' of subtitles, etc), especially for younger people
21 9.0%
Quality Cinema Experience - Champion (and improve) quality of cinema experience, esp collective
experience of film & Big Screen experience
16 6.9%
Exhibitors should utilise new digital technologies and platforms to create events, provide alternative
content and make use of non-traditional venues
14 6.0%
Ticket prices are too high - lower them, or introduce
variable prices for tickets 12 5.2%
Government support for Distributors dealing in specialised film (particularly to enable lower UK rental fees)
11 4.7%
Government acknowledgement of cinema's cultural & social significance and enrichment - make it part of the UK's cultural agenda
10 4.3%
Release Windows - Review and protect windows /
enable smaller cinemas to get films earlier 10 4.3% Changing media consumption patterns (online,
mobile, pop-up, etc), requiring new business models 9 3.9% Introduce (and enforce) incentives for exhibitors to
screen non-mainstream films 9 3.9%
Support training (including digital projection, new
technologies, and cultural business skills) 6 2.6%
Increase Publicity for British and Independent films 5 2.1% Control / Reduce box office revenue taken by
Exhibitors 4 1.7%
Ensure survival of Range of technologies - don't rely
just on digital (or 3D) 4 1.7%
Virtual Print fees - Reduce or abolish them 4 1.7%
Support sustainable Film Festivals 3 1.3%
Maintain/Improve quality of British & Independent
films (inc scripts) 3 1.3%
Control Piracy / Develop new licensing agreement
opportunities for digital world 2 0.9%
Total 233 100.0%
The theatrical exhibition issues the responses most wanted to be addressed were:
• Access to specialised and British films across the whole of the UK (24%). • Government support for digital conversion of independent cinemas
(12%).
• Audience development and engagement especially for younger people
(9%).
• Improve the quality of the cinema experience (7%).
Table 39: Is there a role for Government in stimulating innovation in relation to digital technologies in the exhibition sector?
Response Frequency Percent
Yes 93 64.1%
No 21 14.5%
Don't know 31 21.4%
Total 145 100.0%
The majority of respondents (64.1%) felt there is a role for Government in stimulating innovation in relation to digital exhibition technologies.
Table 40: Why do you think that? (Answer to Table 39)
Description Frequency Percent
Investment in digital infrastructure, (potentially with smaller, cheaper digital projectors) especially for smaller and independent cinemas, is important to enable their survival across the UK (and to thereby avoid a multiplex monopoly)
45 30.2%
Supporting research and innovation gives the sector (both public and private businesses) the means and motivation to develop and grow in new ways (inc. new products, services and operating models)
32 21.5%
Investment in innovation is important to maintain and increase access to, and new forms of engagement with, a diverse range of film, for audiences across the UK and abroad
31 20.8%
Further market interventions are unnecessary -
cinemas are businesses 12 8.1%
The DSN initiative has not delivered the intended diversity. (If the scheme is to continue it should be properly enforced and monitored)
6 4.0%
Other 8 5.4%
Investment should be linked to the protection of
screen access for independent & British film 4 2.7% Invest in training for digital exhibition etc (to ensure
standard of quality, and that the opportunities of digital are exploited)
4 2.7%
Innovation in the exhibition sector is already
happening. 3 2.0%
Government needs to invest in bandwidth 2 1.3%
Continue to develop Archive access and Mediatheque
type provision 2 1.3%
Total 149 100.0%
The principal reasons for a Government role in digital exhibition were:
• To promote new products, services and operating models (21.5%). • To enable audiences to access a diverse range of films (20.8%).
A minority (8.1%) thought that further interventions were unnecessary. A small group (4%) thought that the results of the Digital Screen Network were not diverse enough and needed more enforcement.
Table 41: Is there a role for public funding of independent cinema exhibition?
Response Frequency Percent
Yes 93 64.1%
No 21 14.5%
Don't know 31 21.4%
Total 145 100.0%
The majority of respondents to the question (64.1%) supported a role for public funding of independent cinema exhibition.
Table 42: Why do you think that? (Answer to Table 41)
Description Frequency Percent
Supporting independent cinemas (including rural, community, and organisations like BFFS) helps create and maintain important access to a diverse range of specialised film across the UK
88 35.1%
Independent cinema does not work to a commercial model - and hence should be supported to enable it to continue
53 21.1%
Independent cinema is culturally important and should be supported like any other art form; it promotes social cohesion, self-esteem, and national pride
33 13.1%
Support & incentivise innovation (including tax
incentives), including new forms of exhibition 17 6.8% Independent cinemas foster and encourage filmmaking
Independent and community cinemas also carry out valuable additional audience development, educational and outreach work. This should be supported.
15 6.0%
Invest in next generation - support training & skills 13 5.2% Further government policy needed (not just funding) to
stimulate growth and ensure a great British cinema 5 2.0%
Let market forces prevail 5 2.0%
Other 5 2.0%
Total 251 100.0%
The top reasons given for public funding for independent exhibition were:
• Helps to create and maintain important access to a diverse range of
specialised film across the UK (35.1%).
• Independent cinema does not work to a commercial model, so needs
support to continue (21.1%).
• Independent cinema is culturally important (13.1%).
• It would give support for innovation (6.8%) and talent development
(6.8%).
Table 43: Do you have any other suggestions for how Government policy could change in relation to the exhibition sector?
Description Frequency Percent
Support the independent exhibition sector across the UK - as part of a sector-wide strategy
recognising the importance of exhibition within sector, including building support for local cinemas into remit of Local Authorities, Arts Council, Lottery and the BFI
21 24.7%
Support exhibition venues at the heart of
communities, especially smaller venues - support to include capital costs and development and both full-time and part-time or multi-use venues.
14 16.5%
Create exhibition digital networks - enabling the sharing of services, events (via satellite links) and expertise
Other 8 9.4%
Introduce Screen Quotas to ensure British and independent film are widely available -
(suggestions include enforcement of DSN pledge introduction of French levy-type system, etc)
5 5.9%
Remove/Reduce VAT on cinemas tickets (- other suggestions to reduce ticket price include
introducing subsidies for exhibitors showing specialist film (so they charge lower rental fee, etc)
5 5.9%
Control Piracy / Develop new licensing
agreement opportunities for digital world (inc. relax rules around educational screenings)
5 5.9%
Government acknowledgement and championing of cinema's cultural & social significance and enrichment - make it part of the UK's cultural agenda
4 4.7%
Invest in digital infrastructure, (potentially with smaller, cheaper digital projectors) - especially for smaller, community and independent cinemas
4 4.7%
Support organisations that in turn support
smaller, independent venues (such as BFFS, ICO) 4 4.7% Reduce exhibitor share of box office revenue - in
favour of producers & distributors 3 3.5%
Exhibitors should utilise new digital technologies and platforms to create events, provide
alternative content and make use of non- traditional venues
3 3.5%
Policy should improve access, engagement and available appropriate product for children and young people - via festivals, collaborative programming et al.
3 3.5%
Total 85 100.0%
The top “other” suggestions for changes in Government policy toward the exhibition sector were:
• Support the independent exhibition sector across the UK, including
• Help with capital cost and development for exhibition venues in the heart
of the community (16.5%).